The focus on helping businesses “create” jobs is working the horse from the wrong end. Businesses have never created a job — consumer demand for goods and services creates jobs. An entrepreneur would not open a tanning salon in a desert.

Profit incentive requires that even companies that develop new and attractive products won’t be able to sell them if the public can’t afford to buy them. Henry Ford paid his employees a livable wage so they could afford to buy the cars they built.

Our focus should be to help consumers afford to buy more products and services. To this end, raising low-end wages would stimulate spending. These individuals would spend the money they receive, stimulating the economy further. Extending unemployment insurance would help. This is not welfare.

We have found after many years that “trickle-down” economics doesn’t work for most citizens. Those receiving the trickles can’t live on them after the 1 percent skim the pot.
Charlie Hagel, Flanders